Warmth
by Marocrache
Summary: One day, he would muster the courage to ensure that his appreciation did not go unnoticed by her.


' _You always come here without an apparent reason. Why do you persist so, human?_ '

' _My name is Angela, not 'human'. I don't think I need a reason, but if you'd like to hear one, then I come here to see you._ '

' _But why? I find it hard to believe that the mere fact that I intrigue you gives you enough inspiration to come. Do not forget that I am not one of your kind. I do not require constant affection; I am not 'lonely', as you have put it. You need not feel obligated to come here._ '

' _I don't. I come here because I want to. Maybe you don't get lonely, but having someone to talk to is still a nice thing. The Harvest Goddess has her sprites to help her understand humans, and now you have me._ '

' _I never asked you to do that._ '

' _And you never had to. I don't ever need an excuse to see a friend._ '

' _... Friend?_ '

' _Yes. Friend._ '

* * *

A gentle summer breeze picks up a thin layer of dirt and sweeps it across the stony surface of the mountaintop as the Harvest King remains still, as though rooted to one spot on his throne. He remains here as the sun and moon take turns filling the sky, day after day after day; an easy feat for an entity who has lived as long as he, who has no profound sense of time.

He discerns with his finely-tuned hearing that someone is approaching from behind him, and without so much as turning around, he knows the identity of his visitor, the _only_ visitor he has ever had. It was that time again.

" **The weather today is lovely, don't you think?** " a young woman about the age of twenty cheerfully inquires as she walks his way with a grin more brilliant than the glowing aura around him and a basket swinging from the nook of her bent arm.

" **Yes,** " he agrees, turning to face her. " **A pleasant day, indeed. The warmth of the sun is very relaxing.** "

Despite having known the human for a bit over a month now, he still finds himself baffled at times by their prominent difference in height, as she barely reached his chin when standing before him. Even as an all-knowing god, he is unsure whether this particular woman was small by human standards, or if he himself was simply vertically superior due to his divine nature.

" **Very relaxing, when you aren't getting burned, that is,** " she jokes with a smile that makes her seem clever.

" **I wouldn't know. Deities do not burn; we are not so fragile,** " he states almost conceitedly.

" **The sun is no kinder to your skin, but you remain unaffected. As a farmer, your resilience would surely come in handy."**

She proceeds to remove an item from her woven basket - a large, ruby-red apple that gleamed in the sun as she presented it to him. He thanks her and nods slightly as she passes the apple to him, offering her a genuine smile that did not often sketch itself onto his features. It was clear to him that she had noted his particularity towards apples since first offering him one; when the summer season began, so did her daily gifting of these fruits. While observing her farm from the top of his throne, he could see that she had in fact dedicated an entire field solely to growing apple trees, and in truth, this amused him.

He had been staring at the apple as his thoughts rolled around in his head, and so she decided to fill the comfortable silence around them. " **Flameo** ," she began in an attempt to make conversation, and he nearly sighed at the ridiculous name that she had designated to him upon learning that his true name would remain a secret, " **d** **o you ever take naps? At the very least, I can't imagine you would all the way up here. That would promise a severe backache, I think,** " she scrunched her nose distastefully.

"' ** _Nap'?_** **Of course not. My energy reserve is quite vast, and when it needs replenishment, I will return to the heavens and sleep until I am properly restored to my full strength. I have no need for** **naps,** " he finished with a wave of his hand, dismissing the thought. He didn't bother asking for the source of her inspiration to pose such a question, as she was a curious being, and an enigmatic one was he. And every time he would answer her questions - every time she would nod and smile in appreciation for his response - he felt that they grew closer. It was a foreign feeling, but one that deepened with each of her visits.

 **"Well, I'm still kind of adjusting to the heat of the Castanet summers, since it was always pretty moderate where I used to live, so sometimes the sun makes me tired and I take naps in the middle of** **working. I know I shouldn't, though. I feel all groggy when I wake up,** " she grins guilty. " **It doesn't happen as often now. I think that I'm slowly getting better at resisting the** **heat.** " With a shrug, she looks down at her feet.

 **"You are sensitive to the heat in part because you don't stay properly hydrated. Humans, like other Earthly creatures, require a constant supply of water to live. The heat may cause you to rapidly dehydrate, which is something your body will tell you by feeling tired. It would be wise to carry water with you during days like these.** " He moves his hand to make a light gesture to the celestial object in question hanging above them. " **I must say, it is a bit frustrating to observe such** **naivete** **. At times I am tempted to come down from the mountain and scold you for such negligence.** "

She raises her head, the look in her eyes telling the mighty god that she was perplexed, and she tilts her head to the side slightly. " ** _Observe?_** " she parrots back, as if for confirmation. " **You're saying you** **observe** **me?** "

The deity nearly jolted, and his embarrassment at his unintended confession overwhelmed him. It was true that he was intrigued by her - in fact, she had been the only human to ever occupy his thoughts so wholesomely, at the very least - but this he was not ready to admit. He hastily changes the subject while avoiding her question. " **I see that you have found a new jewel to accessorize yourself with,** " he speaks awkwardly, trying to compose himself, and focuses their attention to the diamond-cut ruby hanging from her neck by a black necklace. " **A prize from a recent endeavor in the mountain, I take?"**

Angela cradles the jewel in the palm of her hand and looks at it thoughtfully while nodding.

" **I spent hours looking for ores to upgrade my tools with a few days ago. The ruby was among the many pleasant surprises I came across along the way. Actually, it was the only gem that I ended up using for jewelry. I sold the rest.** "

She pauses and meets his gaze with hers. Then, the corners of her mouth lift even more.

" **It seems that I've become very fond of the color red recently.** "

Without missing a beat, she turns and slowly begins her way home.

Silently, he fights back the urge to suggest that she stay longer. Doing so would be selfish, after all. She visited him everyday; it was one of the first things that she did in the morning. He considered himself lucky that she found time in her busy schedule to do so. One day, he would muster the courage to ensure that his appreciation did not go unnoticed by her.

He almost gives in, wanting to speak to her one last time before her departure, and he inhales deeply.

" **Angela,** " he called to her retreating form after a few moments, successfully halting her. She turns to face him and waits expectantly. "... **You should wear a hat while you work from now on, understand? I do not want to see you get burned.** "

He vocalizes his thoughts in a way which makes his request seem like a command, and yet she understands that he speaks purely out of concern, not authority. She stares blankly at him for a few moments, letting her thoughts germinate briefly, and suddenly her face shines brightly with elation as she smiles and nods at him. _What incredible progress he has made since the beginning of spring_.

" **Okay, Flameo. I promise.** "

Nearby, a small blue bird ruffles its feathers against the warm breeze and chirps melodically into the summer air around them. 


End file.
